sisson



( No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. T. SISSON. Balloon for Advertising. No. 242,483. Patented June7,1881.

Fig.1.

MAE/VA BY $66K ST/RAL 31%" WA ofiGVEPOLIS/i P OCOAINE k w IN E NTQ R 04am @A PhMO-Likhognghur, Washington, D. C.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. T. SISSON. Balloon for Advertising. No. 242,483. Patented June 7,I88I.

Fig.2

WITNESSES} INVENTOR A awmww n, PETERS PhuwLithognphm, Wuhingw. n. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY T. SISSON, OF LITTLE COMPTON, RHODE ISLAND.

BALLOON FOR ADVERTISING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 242,483, dated June 7,1881.

Application filed December .24, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom "it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY T. SrssoN, ofLittle Compton, county of Newport, and State of Rhode Island, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Balloons for Advertising; and Ihereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to theaccompanyingdrawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention has reference to aerostatic balloons, or machinessupported by air or gas above the earth, but connected with the earthand it onsists of certain arrangements of parts, more particularlydescribed in the ensuing specification, and combination thereof, whichwill be fully set forth in the claims.

Figure 1 is a view of a balloon floating high above the earth, butconnected with the same by the anchor-rope. The surface of the balloonis covered with advertisements, and nets, on which advertisements aresecured, are shown suspended from the same. Lamps or torches are placedon yards or rods extending from the gallery under the balloon, by whichthe balloon can be lighted up at night, and the advertisernents can bereadily seen after dark. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the balloon, inwhich a small balloon is placed to hold a light gas, and the outerballoon is provided with an inlet, so that the same can be inflated withair under pressure, so as to extend the surface of the balloon on whichthe advertisements are displayed. A valve-rope for allowing the gas toescape is shown, also a rope for allowing ballast to escape, and wiresfor connecting electric lamps within or supported outside the balloonwith a generator of electricity. All these wires and ropes are connectedwith and supported by the anchor-rope by which the balloon is secured.

In the drawings, A represents a balloon on the surface of whichadvertisements are painted, printed, or marked.

B is the gallery, suspended below the balloon by means of cords, in theusual manner.

0 is the anchor-rope by means of which the balloon is secured to theearth.

D D are yards or rods, from which banners, made, preferably, of netting,on which advertisements are secured, are suspended.

E E are lamps, hung in gimbals and used to illuminate the balloon, sothat the advertisements can be readily seen at night.

F is a reservoir containing ballast, provided with a valve which isoperated by a cord, line, or wire secured to the anchor-rope G inrunning-eyes G G. The line, cord, or wire H, extending to the gas-reliefvalve h, is also secured to the anchor-rope (l by the eyes G G, and whenit is desired to lower the balloon gas may be let out by this valve andthe valve controlled from the ground. When, on the contrary, the balloonsettles, the valve in the ballast-reservoirF mayalso be operated fromthe ground and sufficient ballast discharged to lighten the balloon andallow it to ascend. All these operations can be performed on the earth,and no person is required to be in the balloon or rise with the same. Astherefore only the balloon and its appurtenances are to be floated, asmall quantity of gas is required to allow the same to float in the air.To distend the balloon so as to show off the advertisements to the bestadvantage, the balloon may be filled with air after or before the gas isadmitted, and for this purpose the balloon is provided with a separateair-inlet, a, which can be readily closed when the balloon is infiated.

A small balloon, I, may be placed in the balloon A and provided with anon-collapsible tube, 1', extending down through the larger balloon A,so that the small balloon I may be readily charged with gas and thelarger balloon filled with air of sutficient pressure to extend thesame.

The material of the balloon maybe lnade nearly transparent, and theelectric lights K K may be placed in the balloon even when the same isfilled with gas. As these lamps are made on the principle ofincandescent carbon, placed in airtight glass globes, the gas cannot beignited by the same. A fine effect is thus produced, showinganilluminated balloon covered with advertisements floating in midair. Theelectric lights may also be supported by the yards or rods D D, andthese lights may be made on the electric-arc principle, as is shown at LL in Fig. 2.

The wires for conveying the electric current from the earth to the lampsK and L are secured to the anchor-rope or they may form part of theanchor-rope and be made to branch 011' to the different lamps above theconnection of the anchor-rope with the balloon or any part of the same.

LII

Not only can, by means of this aerostatic machine, the advertisements bedisplayed so as to be plainly visible both day and night, but by placingelectric lights of suflicient power a large part of a city, town, orcountry can be illuminated, and in time of war such a balloon can beprovided with one or more powerful electric lights placed in suitablereflectors, and a fort, the enemys camp, or other places may beilluminated by throwing the light on the same, and such lightcan beinstantly produced at the moment required, and as instant lyextinguished, so that the enemy will have little opportunity to estimatethe location of the balloon. The currents may be instantly turned on oroil" on the earth, or they may be so controlled by a person in theballoon but the electricity is generated on the earth, and the generatorand power required are all on terra firma, so that but little gas isrequired to float the balloon and appurtenances.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. The combination, substantially as before setforth, of the interior balloon, inflated with gas, and the exteriorballoon, filled with air under pressure.

2. The combination, with the balloon A and the anchorrope O, of theballast-reservoir F, provided with a valve and a rope or line supportedby the anchor-rope and arranged to open the valve and discharge ballast,from the earth, while the balloon is floating in the air, as described.

3. The combination, with the balloon A, of the balloon H, provided withthe non-collapsible tube 2', as and for the purpose described.

4. The combination, with a balloon, of hermctically-sealed electriclights operated by incandescence when placed within the balloon andconnected with an electric generator, as described.

HENRY T. SISSON.

Witnesses:

GI-IAs. (J. ARMSTRONG, CHARLES G. A. PETERSON.

